


Riverdale Requests: Bughead

by Stattic_Scribbles



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Soulmate AU, hades au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23376388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stattic_Scribbles/pseuds/Stattic_Scribbles
Summary: A collection of requests posted from my Tumblr based on Betty/Jughead; Requests always open, you can find my tumbler to send in requests here:https://stattic-writes.tumblr.com/post/184300196529/guidelines
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Kudos: 11





	1. Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Soulmate AU: The most important words your soulmate will say to you are tattooed on your body.

Once Jughead learns to read, once his parents sit him down and carefully explain what the words written on his wrist truly mean he steels himself to accept anything bad life throws his way; after all how horrible can it be if his soulmate’s most important statement is _Jughead Jones, I love you._  
He spends his childhood over at Archie’s most of the time; once his mother leaves with Jellybean he almost religiously runs his fingers over his words. It becomes a comfort, to rub against the reassurance he’s loved, he always will be.

Betty Cooper hates her soulmark. Her mother reminds her hate is a nasty, too strong word and Betty refuses to change. Polly is the one to ask, Betty in tears and night, scared of the dark and the one word statement her soulmate asks of her. Stay. She learns this word is most commonly said when one is running, leaving or abandoning, a request to not run away. Betty Cooper steels herself too, instead of against the world, against herself. She will not let her soulmate down, she will be perfect. She won’t give them any reason to ask her to stay, and thus begins a lifetime of nails against her palms and fear at the word on her skin.

She knows Archie and her are not soulmate’s, he never tells her but she knows the handwriting on his wrist is not hers; it’s too crisp and sharp, her own handwriting rounded and soft.  
Archie meets Veronica and Betty doesn’t mind, not when Jughead walks up smiling and she feels her chest and stomach clench in excitement and fear.

He tries to keep his voice from shaking but still he can hear his own nerves, his own tremor as he repeats himself, she steps forward and he waits, holding his breath for her to say anything. She steps slightly closer he swears he can feel her sigh.  
“Jughead Jones, I love you.” Jughead is frozen where he stands, Betty smiling her cheeks faint pink as she kisses him. He kisses her back, the calm that washes over him, the realization that he’s kissing his soulmate; that his Betty truly is his, is beyond a relief. He’s only slightly surprised when she lets him remove her shirt, eyes scanning for her words, half heartedly looking before returning his focus to her lips, her neck, her- the knock at the door startles them both, the terror of her mother finding out, the almost thrill at the thought of Alice Cooper having to accept who Jughead was to her daughter, is quelled when a group offer him a jacket. He slides it on, relieved to not only have found his soulmate but his family.

It’s rude to ask about soulmarks, especially considering they can be said at different times during any relationship; thankfully for Jughead Archie isn’t concerned about being rude when he brings it up at Pop’s.  
“So like my soulmark says, “Because we’re endgame Archie” but what do you think that means? Endgame? Like we’re a couple? We’re gonna win the football match, it’s so vague? Oh god what if it’s Reggie!” Archie looks up from the booth in a panic where Reggie sits with Chuck and a few of his other friends. Veronica rolls her eyes.  
“Like you’d really have Reggie Mantle as a soulmate.”  
“It’s probably some sort of love confession” Jughead smirks nodding.  
“Come on Jug we don’t all get to be as lucky as you.”  
“Lucky?” Betty turns her eyebrow quirked, Veronica leans forward.  
“And how are you lucky?” Jughead snorts rolling up his sleeve to show his words. Betty stares and Jughead watches her face flicker from embarrassment to excitement, but then horror, as she twists herself away from him slightly.  
“Betty?” He looks confused and she shakes her head before he pulls her back against him.  
“We can talk later.” He whispers into her hair and she nods, face pink.

“I said that.” Her voice is below a whisper; he knows its so Archie and Veronica don’t hear. He nods a soft smile on his face.  
“It’s true, I love you back. No matter what your words say.”  
“Word.” She spits and he hesitates.  
“Perfect?” He guesses which earns him a half laugh, a smile lingering only slightly longer.  
“No, if that was the case I wouldn’t hate that word so much.” He tilts her head up to kiss her.  
“Well let’s stop worrying about it then. We apparently have bigger things to worry about.” She nods and they depart Pop’s determined to finish their investigation.

“I’m sorry for everything, thinking you needed to be protected from me, from my darkness.” He half barks a laugh shaking his head, Betty smiles.  
“I can handle it..” She trails off and he nods, she sighs.  
“I should head home.”  
“Or you could stay?” She about to come up with at least five reason’s why she shouldn’t all of them involving her mother, two extra about her father, fifteen about the black hood and the serpents, before she has a chance to say any of them, his hand lands on her dress, she focus’ on the sound the fabric makes, her blood rushing through her ears, unsure why she’s so nervous.  
“Stay.” She turns her head slightly; eyes locking with his as she moves closer, letting him pull her onto his lap.  
“Wait, Wait I need to tell you something..”  
“What?” He’s nervous worried he’s done something; she wants to laugh, she wants to keep kissing him. She wants to show him her word, on her hip, black and dark and no longer something to fear. She shakes her head at herself.  
“Nothing, I just; I want all of you.” She hushes the voice in her head screaming _my word, my word, my soulmate, my soulmate._ She bumps their foreheads together smiling before they continue to kiss.

She wakes up first, his hand wrapped around her hip, fingers ghosting over her word, she wonders if he saw it, if he knows. She makes them coffee, he wakes up, ambling out in sweatpants watching her stand in his shirt, he hums, his hand curling up to brush her hair from her face.  
“Jughead Jones I love you.” She traces the words on his wrist he smiles.  
“And I love you.” She shakes her head smile playing on her lips. He furrows his eyebrows.  
“What?” She laughs shaking her head.  
“That’s not a word.” He blinks frowning.  
“A word?” He laughs a little as she retreats back to pull her clothes from the couch and floor. His hand pulls her back before she can make it to the bathroom; he kisses her neck, hand winding around her waist. His fingers brush against her hip, she shivers as his thumb rubs over her word.  
“Stay.” She can feel him smiling into her neck, he sighs, in relief she thinks as she replies.  
“There’s no where else I’d rather be.”


	2. Unsuspecting Victim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soulmate AU! You gain the marks (bruise, tattoos, scars) and the ability to hear your soulmate singing, once you accept your soulmate you lose these abilities until/if you drift apart again

Betty Cooper is almost unnaturally careful, that’s what her mother says at least; Polly calls her a freak and says how clumsy her soulmate must be to end up with bruises so often. It’s not until Betty is fifteen and she see’s Reggie Mantle punch Archie in the jaw that she connects the dots of the bruises appearing for the last two years. They scatter her stomach, her legs, anywhere that clothes can cover, she never feels the pain of them, she doesn’t wake screaming in agony to find her legs battered purple or a hand print wound so tight around her arm she swears she can see fingerprints. It takes her only three months to realize the angles are wrong. No one is hurting her soulmate besides himself.

Jughead Jones knows his soulmate is meant for him, he knows she’ll understand, not because of their connection, not because he knows she can see the bruises that he lets himself make; but because sometimes he’ll look at his hands and watch thin crescent cuts unfold against his palms, too small to be his own blunt nails. He can’t feel the pain; he remembers what his father told him, one of the rare happy memories of his family. You only feel pain if someone hurts your soulmate, if they hurt themselves you only gain the mark. Jughead Jones looks down to see the nail marks reforming, he doesn’t wipe the blood away only singing softly in an attempt to calm his soulmate down, he knows she can hear him. Despite their alternating music tastes they bond over a few songs. Safety songs he thinks. They sing them together in the morning and again at lunch, and once before bedtime. A way for them to stay connected. They reserve one for bad days, problems and general not feeling wells. At least that’s why he sings it.

“Where are you, and I’m so sorry,” He starts voice nervous as usual, his fathers passed out but his recent anger at anything having to do with soulmate’s has put Jughead on edge. He knows his mother and him have been fighting more, both marked for other people, he knows what that means, their soul mates must be dead.  
“I cannot dream I cannot sleep tonight” he can hear her voice wavering as well; he hopes everything is okay at home.

Jughead stops talking to Archie, he refuses any contact burying himself in his loner façade and retreating further from the Northside which he used to call home. It’s almost painful, how easily Archie lets him go. It twists in his gut, the familiar ache on his palms reminding him why he can’t stay, Archie’s girl next door, Betty Cooper matches himself in a way that is bone chilling. He catches a bruise on her upper arm, a handprint, from last night when he had a panic attack and had to hold himself together while his father couldn’t stop vomiting. He catches his palm-printed scars on her wrist, scabs instead of the crisp pink lines on his palms.

He stops singing to her, and she returns the favor, he catches her humming sometimes half singing before she seems to remind herself and her voice vanishes. He refuses to admit he almost lives for those moments, how he almost sings back, desperate to let her know he’s safe. He breaks one night, when his dad comes back and doesn’t leave in the morning for work. His mom and Jellybean leave instead. He locks himself in the shower and sobs, croaking out a messy rendition of their song. He doesn’t listen to it otherwise. He waits half drowning himself in the shower, repeating the song over and over until he can hear her voice groggy, disorientated but there. 

“Will you come home and stop the pain tonight, Stop this pain tonight, Don’t waste your time on me, You’re already the voice inside my head” he doesn’t expect her to respond, still her voice sounds just as broken as his.  
“I miss you, I miss you. Where are you?” He wishes he could tell her, wishes they could run away like Romeo and Juliet, just find each other and leave everything behind. His father is banging on the door screaming at him, Jughead swallows, the song, his tears, and turns the water off, retreating to his room to pack. He gives his dad an ultimatum, get better or I’ll leave. His dad opens the door for him; Jughead refuses to let himself cry more, his father doing more than enough for both of them.

He hides out in the projector booth for the drive in, having to bite down the urge to sing the soundtracks, to hum along with the music he hears from car radios and slightly too drunk movie goers. He doesn’t sing and he only hears Betty’s voice when she talks in school. Its safer he assures himself.

When Jason Blossom is murdered, and the town twists over on it’s belly, exposing things no one wanted to reveal, Jughead Jones returns to Betty Cooper’s side. Archie Andrews welcoming him back almost as easily as he’d cut him from his life. Veronica Lodge hums under her breath and Jughead hears Archie’s answering song. She’s humming the song he wrote for the talent show, he knows Veronica hasn’t heard it, not yet, so he stays quiet letting Archie practice unaware just what’s going to happen when he sings the song that’s been plaguing Veronica’s thoughts for the past two months. 

He doesn’t say anything to give away where he is, simply steadying himself against the ladder, nervous about tapping on her window. He sings under his breath, note catching as she answers.  
“I need somebody and always, This sick strange darkness..” He peeks his head up she’s half turned, he can see her singing back the words picking up right where he leaves off, like they used to.  
“Comes creeping on so haunting every time, Will you come home and stop the pain tonight, Stop this pain tonight.” She skips some of it, sitting on her bed, her hands running through her hair that she takes down, he steels himself, tapping on the glass and Betty jerks her head up, surprised that he leans against the window frame. Unsure whether its stupidity or confidence he locks eyes with her as he restarts the song.

“Where are you, and I’m so sorry,” She starts at the exact same time. He doesn’t know how to stop himself before he’s climbing through her window nervously singing under his breath, she’s watching him before she bites her lip so hard he can taste blood, and then she laughs. Its warm and soft and all Jughead wants to do is hold her, so he steps halfway forward but Betty beats him to it, almost flinging herself into his arms, tears in her eyes.

“I miss you. I miss you.” He can feel the mark etching into his skin, over his heart he thinks, he doesn’t check what it is, content to wait till later that night. He stares horrified at the snake coiled around a crown. It looks pink, just like the nail marks, just like a scar.

He doesn’t tell anyone they’ve marked, he can tell by the way Betty watches him, she hasn’t either. They sitting at Pop’s his hand brushing over hers, covering her scabs with the scars she’s given him.  
“I’m so sorry.” He voice is soft, it’s barely singing but he knows since they’re right next to each other that gift has long since been given up. He hates they still feel each other’s pain. He knows the closer soul mates get, the more they’re around each other, the more it fades, until you become your own person, by accepting them. Still he watches her hand untangle from his, creeping up to brush his shoulder and then dust over his shirt, over his mark. He’s not sure why but he bring her hands to his mouth kissing them softly. He knows he won’t break her, she’s stronger than that, but the tiny smile she gives him reminds him he’s not. He wonders if she knows how easily he’ll splinter under her touch.

He doesn’t say anything as he sees her onstage, dancing and singing for the crowd. He lets her, jaw set, she doesn’t falter, doesn’t move from her dance, not even as he digs his nails into his palms, not even as he feels the mark burning with his own feelings of betrayal. He’s not sure why he’s angry, why he wants to close of part of himself to her, he knows the Serpents are him just as much as his beanie or his novel is, something she wants to be a part of. He returns home alone singing into the darkness of the trailer; he starts crying when he realizes he can hear her singing back.  
“And hear your voice of treason, Will you come home and stop the pain tonight, Stop this pain tonight.” 

He doesn’t look at her when he passes her in the morning, the minute he steps into class he turns back hand hovering over her shoulder before she turns looking nervously at him. He doesn’t say anything, simply pulling her into a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead.  
“We can talk later, I promise, alone.” She kisses him on the lips, soft and before he can agree she’s gone.

He’s standing in his trailer, she steps closer, he wants to touch her, to smooth down the sleeve of the dress that’s turned up, to tangle his legs in hers as she lies on his chest. He chokes down the urge to pull her close to lock the doors and keep her safely tucked against his chest.  
“When people do nice things for me, I-”  
“Its okay Jug, I get it, just a little overwhelming for both of us.” She responds, her fake smile lighting her face up in the wrong way. He smoothes her cheek, the smile and shadows it creates vanishing.  
“No, when people do nice things for me, it’s because they want something, I’m; I’m not sure how; It’s like I’m waiting; for them to name a price.. No one in nice to me just because-“  
“They love you?” She pinks at her own words and Jughead just stares at her. He opens his mouth but once again Betty beats him to it, the words tumbling out of her mouth so naturally he struggles to register she said his name at the beginning.

“Jughead Jones, I love you.” He doesn’t realize he’s crying until she sits him down, pulling him against her chest stroking her hand through his hair.  
“I’m so sorry. I should have. I’m sorry. I’m sorry” He repeats she doesn’t say anything letting the apologies take the place of his tears.  
“I didn’t mean to hurt you all those years I didn’t I swear.” She smiles almost fondly.  
“Juggie, it’s okay I never felt the pain from those bruises, I swear, I just woke up with them.” He swallows shaking.  
“Not that.” He can feel it the urge to vomit rising in the back of his throat, how his head is swimming, everything moving to fast and too slow at the same time, he struggles up, standing, swaying with Betty clinging to his arm. She directs him outside the night air instantly switching his breathing, forcing him to calm his panic, still he shakes, his body trembling terrified this will be what drives Betty away.

“I knew.” She stares uncomprehending so he swallows choking as he manages to spit the words out.  
“I knew since we were seven and you punched Archie after he called me a glutton and you cut your knuckle cause he bit you.” He can hear her gasp, he’s waiting for her to stand up, to rush from the trailer, from the only life he’d be able to give her, instead she carefully drapes her arm around him, pulling him closer.  
“You didn’t tell me?” Her voice isn’t accusatory, it's soft, filled with curiosity and wonder.

“Betty, I couldn’t; look at me, look at where I am right now, where all I’m ever going to be. You deserve something so much better. You actually deserve the entire world, and there’s no way I can give you even a sliver of that. I’m nothing Betty, not compared to anyone else, least of all you, you’re-“ He closes his mouth at the anger he sees on her face, she pulls him closer, her hand on his jaw stopping him from continuing.  
“Jughead Jones if you ever even think that I don’t want to be right by your side ever again, I will never cook you anything again and I will take the Serpents from you.” Her glare is stern but he can see the warmth in her eyes the only sign before her mouth upturns and she smiles laughing softly.

“I don’t know what scared you more, the threat of my lack of cooking, or loosing the Serpents.” He sits chewing his cheek for a moment before he huffs.  
“Losing you. No matter what happens, no matter what comes my way, it’s always going to be you Betty, you’re always going to be who I choose.”  
It’s easier after that, her nails don’t dig as deep or as often, despite the absolute horror that follows them like smoke. He doesn’t lie awake gasping for air, or bruising himself in an effort to keep from falling apart. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As he steps towards Penny, towards the gang of Ghoulies Malachai had brought he swallows the thought of Betty’s last moments of him being the mess they’re going to make of him. He cringes at the first few hits, the sting from them dulling into a continuing ache. He closes his eyes knowing they won’t make it quick, they wont make it painless, especially not when Penny shoves them aside, carving down his arm, running the rust deeper than needed to descale him. He’s struggling to breath, he knows the feeling well, he tries his best not to choke when he can hear Betty’s quiet voice in his head, singing to him. He can hear the franticness in her voice, the desperation as she stumbles over the words, the first song they’d ever managed to sing together, to hear from each other at seven years old, both hiding from the monster’s under the bed.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, You make me happy when skies are grey, You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don’t take my sunshine away” He looses consciousness when he sees Penny pulling back, he can feel everything dimming and he doesn’t bother fighting the warmth that seems to bloom from his chest, or the cold that seeps onto his limbs, he clings however faint to Betty’s voice, until he can no longer hear it, he’s struck my the stabbing fear she won’t ever hear him again, but he’s too exhausted to fight anymore.


	3. Pomegranate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone/Hades AU; in which Betty and Jughead are training to take over/work under their parents ‘names’

“Jughead are you even listening to me?”  
“Of course dad. I just-“  
“No, the answer is no you’re not. Why can’t you be like Archie, he enjoys learning.” FP nods to where Archie appears waving sheepishly.  
“Yeah cause he gets to lounge up and literally shine over the humans.” Jughead snorts, smiling fondly as he can feel the warmth from Archie’s sunlight.  
‘Yeah, yeah I’ll be done in a sec, just some more ‘training’. Ronnie joining us?” Archie laughs as FP smacks at Jughead.  
“You can go hang out with your friends after, now, come-“ FP shakes his head gaze dropping as he can feel someone glaring at him.

“Yes Alice?” He arches an eyebrow turning his head in her direction. Alice Smith stands every bit of the goddess she is looking unimpressed at the boys goofing off.  
“Training going well then?” She offers a sly smile and FP notices the girl behind her, Betty he conjures her name and he waits for the inevitable bragging that will commence, how perfect Betty is following in her mother’s footsteps. Instead he watches her dart forward, past him to beam at Archie and Jughead.  
“Betty!” They chorus talking amongst themselves.  
“She finished her training, so she gets to spend time with her friends.” Alice rolls her eyes.  
“Heaven knows why she’s want it to be them.” She scolds vanishing, most likely to attend a temple prayer or offering. FP shakes his head as she vanishes.

“Don’t think you’ve gotten out of training.” He puts his arm around Jughead, a half hug, before shoving him back towards his friends.  
Jughead looks excitedly towards Betty and Archie as his dad leaves.  
“Archie, you were saying your dad taught you some weird sun trick right?”  
“Ronnie and I are working on making eclipse’s. It’s a lot of work, we have to get to positioning just right.”  
“It’s really not difficult at all.” Veronica chimes in as she appears.  
“Says the goddess of the moon.” Veronica rolls her eyes.  
“Really what can you do then?” Jughead narrows his eyes and bumps his foot against the ground, letting it disturb the soil.  
“Betty! You need to come back with me, you can visit later, we have an offering to get to!” Alice reappears tugging her away from them. She nods casting a last look back and vanishing with her mother.

It’s been years, they don’t age as mortal’s do, time doesn’t flow for them the same; but as Jughead greets Betty, watching her walk in carrying decades of experience on her shoulders, her body cloaked in fitted robes with gauze floating around her, he almost wishes it did. So it would have only been a year apart, instead of the centuries it felt like. She smiles, it’s fake and cuts off as her mother appears behind her, brushing her shoulder which sags under the façade before she steps closer to Jughead looking lighter, happier than she has in years.  
“You should visit more.” He speaks as she smiles, genuine as he returns it. Archie and Veronica appear soon after, arms and cloaks tangled around each other well enough it’s hard to tell who is wearing what.  
“How’s the mortal world holding up?” Archie speaks and Betty laughs.  
“Hasn’t fallen yet.” Archie and Veronica nod content to visit more of their friends, leaving Betty and Jughead a moment alone.  
“I miss you.” Jughead’s hand brushes her face, ghosting over her cheek and she nods, stepping closer as he pulls his arms to cover her. They sway for a moment both keeping their eyes closed until Alice’s voice can be heard slightly too close to continue their embrace. She does not visit their corner, the breathe in relief.

“I brought you something. I hope it’s not rude.” Betty smiles hand covering her present. Jughead laughs tilting his head as he watches her hands unfurl to show a small deep coloured pomegranate. He covers it with his own hands rubbing his thumb against her skin.  
“How sweet, not rude at all, nothing you ever gift me could be rude.” He smiles pulling the fruit from her hands and effortlessly pulling it apart, handing half to her.  
They eat the seeds at the same time both relishing the taste, before it’s smacked from their hands, FP Jones and Alice Cooper glaring daggers into their skin.  
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done.” Alice seethes letting her words drip as she drags Betty from Jughead’s grip.  
“Alice, calm down.” FP speaks a tremor in his voice as he looks to his son’s stained fingers then to Betty’s matching ones.  
“How many did you eat?” He questions and both children stay silent.  
“How many.” Alice does not question but they answer anyway.

“Seven.” They speak in perfect unison and Alice bites back another snarl instead shaking her head at FP.  
“This is your problem. I will not have my daughter, my home, all of it ruined by-“  
“You daughter is the one who brought it, so it’s in your home this will feature.” FP looks annoyed and Betty frowns.  
“Mom it’s-“  
“Do not speak Elizabeth.” Alice snaps turning on her heel and dragging her daughter away.  
“We will see you in six months Forsythe. Don’t be late.”

Jughead waits nervously, he’d never been near Betty’s true home, they’d had meeting places, areas between their ruling realms but he’s unsure of what to expect. His father leaves him halfway there assuring him Betty will be there soon to greet him.  
She appears in a billow of warm fog, the same gauze fabric floating around her like a shroud, more of her skin bare as she’s in her home. He can’t help but be mesmerized as she dances towards him, humming softly.  
“Come, you have much to see, my prince.” She laughs and his face flushes only slightly, as he remembers the hushed conversation he’d had with his father.  
“Did my father tell you-“ He starts and Betty half nods.

“My mother filled the rest in. I wasn’t aware of the weight of the pomegranate.” She pauses, drumming her fingers against his arm as she takes his hand.  
“Perhaps if you were, we would have eaten more so as not to be apart.” He finishes her though and she smiles nodding.  
“I am sorry for taking you away from your duties, becoming a prince, heavy will sit the crown of a ruler. I shouldn’t have forced this on-“ He quiets her with a kiss.  
“Nothing would make me happier than to stay by your side my love.” She laughs kissing him again. She watches the ground bloom under her feet, fresh green grass and vines tangling up their legs, sprouting flowers and trees bearing fruit once more. 

“Incredible I’ll never grow tired of that.” She nods to him and he looks bashfully at the ground scuffing some of the grass with his foot.  
“I’m happy.” He responds and she kisses his cheek.  
“As am I.” Her smile doesn’t falter her eyes sparkling with it as they walk through the gardens that surround Betty’s home.  
“It looks surprisingly well kept.” He comments and she turns a quizzical eye onto him.

“I only meant as ruler you must not have time to-“  
“Just because I rule the dead does not mean I kill. My realm is meant to be a safe place for their souls to find rest, I am meant to be their comfort. I take no joy in punishing them.” She smiles sadly and he nods following her from the gardens towards her home, they pass over the river Styx and she waves to Charon who smiles at both of them. Jughead nods at lets her lead him to the throne room, as he sits upon the cool stone and gazes out into the open area where the souls roam he casts a glance towards the entrance, towards the faint sunlight he can see. Idly he wonders how the mortal’s will twist this story, what web they will spin to explain how a child of the earth, of the sunlight and growth, settled into the world of the dead. As he returns year after year, letting his own powers fuse into the soil, so the fertile ground no longer grows only poisons; as he learns the names of the souls and find they come to him for help does he begin to think maybe the world of the dead was what he needed to flourish.


End file.
